If All Else Fails
by LeneReedus
Summary: When Daryl first time lay his eyes on her, she carved a smile. Sad one. Something burdened her. Since then, Daryl wanted to know about her. Something deep in his heart wants him to make her smile to be a sweet happy one. But, can he do it and will it lasts? *Non ZA storyline* Rated fiction M for language (p/s: I do not own character Daryl Dixon)
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

'Hmm..', Aleah released a short silent moan when she sank her naked body in the bathtub filled with warm waters. She plugged in her earpiece to her both ears. 'Just Like a star' by Corrine Bailey Rae was on repeat on her iPod. She never felt so relaxed after what happened this morning. She had fight with her boyfriend, Jeffery. EX-boyfriend to be exact, it's all over now between them. Aleah can't stand with Jeffery's short-tempered jealousy. Today, Jeff slapped her in the public only because she went to a mini stationery store to buy some items she needed.

* * *

Jeffery stormed in the store, grasped Aleah's arm tightly dragged her out the store when she's just about to pay her stuffs at the cashier.

Aleah fell to the pavement outside the store. With her left hand on her left cheek, she can feel the stinging heat that Jeff gave her.

"What the fuck, Jeff!" Aleah shouted at him. She's panting, staring straight to his eyes. Feeling disbelief what he's done. Suddenly, a man came out of no where and with a blink of eyes Jeffery was on the ground. The man has punched him, right to Jeffery's face.

"You do that again, you better pray I'm not around to kick your ass to the ground!" he glowering a warning, bend down his body with his index finger pointing straight to Jeffery's face with daggers stares. His voice was husky. All Aleah can see was his back. Wearing a black t-shirt and dark blue jeans. Broad shoulder, with fine muscular body. Slightly dark-long haired.

Jeffery gets up and ran to his car across the street and drove away. "I promise, I will get you, Leah!", he shout out of his window car. Aleah saw the man who has his back to her, show off both his middle fingers to Jeffery. Aleah scoffed a chuckle, can't believe what she saw. Then he turned around and walked to Aleah, hand out his right hand to help get her up on her feet. Aleah catches his hand.

"You okay?" he asked. "I'm alright, thanks", Aleah replied while sweeping dusts off her back shorts. She looked up his face. He has beady shape eyes. Blue eyes. Thin pair of lips. Nose, perfectly shape. She carved a smile. He bits his bottom lips, all of sudden he become shy with her.

"I'm Aleah. Can call me Leah" she introduced herself.

"Hmm.. Daryl." He replied in low tone with a nod.

* * *

Daryl had enough. He always saw her get shouted at and dragged around unwillingly in front of his store he working, by the man he assumed her boyfriend. Everyday, she walks pass by his workplace that sells various of tools just next to the stationery store that Aleah always went to. He can see her face, something have burden her all the time. She never wears a smile. Well, there's once. When Daryl first lay his eyes on her few months ago. She caught him looking at her and she carved a smile. But it was a forced smile which then faded and looked down as she walked pass him.

Since then, Daryl wants to know who was she. Something deep in his heart makes him want to make this girl smiles and happy. But then he finds out she have a man, so he cancelled his intentions. Concealed it tightly. He could only watch her walk by his workplace.

Daryl blow away a punch to the man's face. When he heard voices in distress outside the shop, he quickly walked to front window glass of his store to see what's going on. He saw a man grabbing Aleah's arm and by the expressions of her face, she looked like she's hurt by that. Then, suddenly he slapped her out of reason. Daryl who witnessed the scene, felt his chest built overflowed with anger. He's furious. He automatically stormed out his store, make his way to the couple and the man now stumbled on the ground. He's breathing fast and he can feel his whole body shaking. He feel satisfied. Like he's been wanting to do that a long time ago.

"What y'all lookin' at? Go back to your own business!—Scram!" Daryl scowling when people who saw the incident starting to crowded the scene.

"This is embarrassing." Aleah sighed. "Thanks though." She saw Daryl blushed. And Aleah just smiled.

"Oh, wait here." Aleah suddenly walked in to the stationery store and came out just a few seconds later. She's carrying a small plastic bag with her. She stood facing him and looked for something in the plastic bag. She took out a pen and reached for his left hand, opened up his palm. Then, she wrote something in his palm. Daryl had no idea what she's doing so he just observing her.

"There.." Aleah smiled at him. Then, she walks backwards and make a _telephone_ hand sign and Daryl saw her mouthing 'Call me'.

Daryl looked down to his palm. He read what's written. ' _ALEAH W.'_ with a phone number above the name. He lifted his head up to look for Aleah's sight but she's already gone. Daryl couldn't fight his big smile when he looked at his left palm again. He got back to his store and continued working. The rest of the work hours was relaxing. He never felt overjoyed while working.

* * *

Aleah sat down at her dressing table. Took a bottle of hair moisturizer and squeeze out a little amount of the liquid to her palm. She then scrub it with her both hands and rub them into her shoulder-level hair. Then, she took a hair-dryer and started to blow dry her hair while her eyes were locked to her phone at the end of the table.

She released a long sharp sigh and put down her hair-dryer. She took her phone and walked to her bed. Threw herself on the bed laying on her back with her arms spread out. Aleah's phone started to buzz. She looked at her phone screen, Jeffery's name appeared on the screen. He been trying to call her all day but she rejects all his calls right away.

"Ugh! I need to get new number." Aleah complained. She hates him now. She never felt been so humiliated. In public! She whispered some curses. She cannot believe why did she fall for Jeffery in the first place. She tried to remember how they were met when suddenly her phone buzzed again. She was annoyed and gets up in sitting position on her bed and without hesitation, Aleah answered the call.

"What do you want?! Between you and me are now over. So, can you please stop calling me. Do not contact me anymore. I had enough!" she answered the call angrily. But the end of the line remain silent.

"Do you understand me?!" Aleah grunted. She already wanted to hang up the call.

"Hmm, hello? Aleah?.. Perhaps, it is a bad time to call?" A husky wet voice was heard at the other side of the line.

Aleah furrowed her brows in confusion. She looked at her phone screen. It was an unknown number. Puts her phone on her chest with her both hands. Her angers disappeared. She panicked.

'This is not Jeff.' she said to herself. She then stick the phone back to her left ear.

"H-hello?" Aleah called. "Who's this?" she continued.

"Its Daryl" the unknown caller identify himself. "I'm sorry if I'm bothering you. Maybe I'll call you next time?" he said. Aleah now remembered about Daryl. She gave her number to him this morning and she really completely forgot about it.

"Oh, no no no no! Don't hang up!" Aleah's voice was a little high-pitch.

"I'm sorry, Daryl. I thought you were Jeff. Cause, he been trying to call me all day and I think I'm going insane." Aleah explained herself apologicly to Daryl.

"So, you're not mad at me?" Daryl asked.

"Of course not. Why would I be mad at you?" Aleah replied with a smile engraved on her lips which Daryl cannot see.

"Hmm, okay." Daryl replied gruffly. Then, an awkward silent appears between the lines.

"So, what's up?" Aleah cleared her throat to break the silent.

"I've been thinking. Can we meet tomorrow? Maybe get some coffee and breakfast? If you aren't busy" Daryl asked.

"Oh, I'd love to! And tomorrow's Sunday, so I'm totally free." Aleah widen her eyes and grinned happily.

"What time, by the way? And where do we meet?" She continued.

"Meet me at the outside the stationery store that you always went. Uhm.. maybe at 8 a.m. If thats okay for you or is it too early?" Daryl answered. He sounded nervous.

"No, it's fine. I'll meet you there at 8am sharp." Aleah chuckled.

"Okay then, I'll see you tomorrow. Good night, Leah."

"Alright. Good night to you too, Daryl."

Aleah lay back to her bed. She felt something ticklish inside her stomach. She's smiling to herself, shut her eyes while her hands hugging her flat stomach. She giggled. She opened her eyes wide and rise suddenly.

"Wait…. How did he know which stationery store I always went to?" Aleah talked to herself. Curious. But she rather not to think much about that. She will just have to ask Daryl tomorrow.

* * *

Daryl keep looking to his palm. It's getting late. He was nervous. He's been thinking, whether he should call Aleah or not since he left his workplace later that afternoon. Can't make up his mind clearly. His phone was ready on his right hand. Then, he decided to call her.

He shifting tapped his thumb to his phone's screen, starting to input Aleah's phone number. He exhaled a long slow breaths and tapped the CALL button on his screen. The other side of line started to ring. By the third ring he can hear Aleah's picking up the call.

"H-hello..Le –" Daryl was about to start a conversation, but before he was able to finish his line, he was cut out by Aleah's angry voice through his phone. Sounded depressed.

Daryl tried to be calm. His heartbeat beating fast thinking whether he just bothering her at some point. Then, Aleah speak up asked who's calling. He answered her with a lower tone and just want to hang up the call fast but Aleah raised her voice to stop him from doing it.

Daryl heard Aleah's explaining herself about Jeffery. He can feel goosebumps just listening to her voice. They talked just for a few minutes. His mind was blank, when he spontaneously asked her out for breakfast.

'What the fuck did I just said?' He mumbling to softly while he face-palmed himself. But, in fact, he received a positive response from Aleah. Daryl's eyes sparkling, almost dropped his jaw down the floor. Can't believe with his ear.

After Daryl ended their call, he walked out to the kitchen with a smile engraved on his lips. He took out a can of coke from the fridge, and start to gulped down his throat. Daryl cannot wait for the sun to rise tomorrow.

* * *

End of Chapter 1

* * *

A/N: Hey everyone! So, what you guys thinks about the story? I know, and I am sorry for my bad grammar. But, I'll practice more to improve leave a review so I know what you were thinking. Thanks! Will update the next chapter soon.

xo, lenereedus


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Hello there, sorry for late update. My laptop happened to be broken when I was writing this chapter. Have to sent my laptop to be fix. Thank god, My documents didn't go missing. Hehe.**

 **I see there's a follower and a favoriter. Thank you! Hope you'll enjoy this chapter. Feel free to drop review(s).**

Chapter 2

Daryl lit a cigarette, leaned on his left side to a lamp post in front of the stationery store where he and Aleah promised to meet up. He facing to the street where Aleah always walked from just like she used to in every other days before. Daryl always knew the time of the day Aleah would walked pass by his work place to go in the stationery store, and will came out from there with a small plastic hooked on her fingers. He sometimes wondered what she had bought. He glanced at his digital watch, it displayed 07:49AM.

* * *

Daryl never woke up very early on Sunday. But this week, he snapped open his eyes automatically. Then, there's some kind of weird funny weird rush feeling building up in his stomach. He scoffed a smile. He immediately rose from his bed and took his towel hanging on a hook. He saw Merle snoring on the couch, in the living room. Might have came home when he was fast asleep. Merle was drunk, like every other night and that's common for Daryl. Merle is the only family he had left. They came from a broken family. Had an abusive drunk bastard as a father and a crack stoned head as a mother. But both parents were deceased. Their father died from liver failure due to too much drinking alcohols. Merle was the happiest person when he knew their father died and will be forever out of his life. Their mother died in a fire blaze that burnt their house down. The caused of the fire was from her own cigarette as stated by the police department. She was always high on smoking those drugs from the cigarette, possibly drunk too and when fell into another world. She used to forget to put it out, which Daryl had to check to her mother and make sure to put it out and away for her until that one day, wasn't at home playing bicycle with his friends.

Now Daryl only have his brother, Merle as his family left. He was the only inspirational figure that he had growing up. But Merle was often absent too from Daryl's life, due to he was frequently in the juvenile institutions. Even if Merle sometimes a being a jerk brother to Daryl, he still protect his baby brother from any sorts of problems he might encounter. Merle maybe not showing or he do not know how express his feeling, he really loved and cared Daryl deeply that he could kill if that's what it takes.

"Ya son of a bitch!" Merle's voices disrupted his train of thought . He thought Merle was awake then he looked at Merle. Still asleep. Merle was having some dreams. He sometimes talked in his sleep. Which also another common thing about Merle. Daryl quickly strut himself to the bathroom. He turned on the water tap on the sink and began to washed his face. He looked at his reflections on the mirror. He tugged a smile. And then he let out a little chuckle. He didn't know what he's feeling right now. Happy? He indeed feel happy. Extraordinary happy. Daryl pinched his right cheek, made sure he wasn't dreaming. He kept thinking of the conversation he had on the phone with Aleah last night.

"That's the smile I've been lookin' for.." The pictures of Aleah smiling kept replaying in his mind. He felt proud and he wanted to make the smiles lasts as long as a he live. Daryl can't wait to meet Aleah later.

* * *

Daryl put out his cigarette by stepping it with his boot when he saw a glimpse of Aleah walking towards him. He smiles as he saw Aleah squinted her eyes like she was zooming her view looking for him. Daryl held up his right hand and waved to her. Aleah who soon noticed, walked her feet fast towards him.

"Hi!" Aleah greeted him with a bright mood.

"Hey..." Daryl's speechless. He felt like he was under a spell every time Aleah gave him a smile. He was mesmerized by it. She's beautiful. Daryl eyeing her bottom to the top. He crossed his arms over his chest revealing his broad shoulder while observing her. She wore white tight jeans and casual long sleeves sky blue colored V-neck slim tee which exposed her black bra through it and wore a pair of white converse shoes, maybe a size of 8 he thought. She tied up a bun style her dark brown hair. _'This girl damn sure looked sexy'_ Daryl thought. He can feel the urge of lust in him. He would glide his both hands up to her breasts, and loosen the bra so he could caress them and give a few squeeze while playing with her nipples by circling around them. Tugging, sucking and biting with his teeth would be nice. He can feel his mouth almost watering, drooling over Aleah's sexy figure.

"Oh my god.. I looked like a crap, do I?" Aleah spoke up when she saw the look of emotionless facial expression Daryl gave her. She furrowed her eyebrow and pulled an awkward smile showing her teeth. She thought Daryl might think she's being ridiculously overdressed just for simple breakfast out.

"What? No no no no!" Daryl who was observing her startled waving both his hand slightly backed a step behind.

"You looked fine." He assured her. Daryl didn't know what gotten into him with that thoughts. He scratched the back of his head that does not even itch. He suddenly blushed.

"Okay then. Am I late?" Aleah asked. She knew she's not late, but she can't think of anything to start up their conversation. It was awkward since they just met each other yesterday.

"Nah.. Just right on time." Daryl took a glance at his wrist watch.

"Ready to go?.. We can only walk, it's not far from here."

Aleah just nodded as a sign she's ready.

* * *

Just two blocks from their meet point, they reached to their destination to a small coffee bar just by the end of the road. The wall are all painted with pitch black and 'vandalized' with lots of wordings using white permanent marker made by customers who has been there. It was one of the coffee bar's creative attractions. Customers can write their messages or wishes and draw images too.

"Here we are." They stand in front of the coffee bar. Aleah looked up at the sign board _DAISY COFFEE HOUSE._ She smiled. Daryl pulled the entrance door opened for Aleah and she make her way in the coffee bar, Daryl followed.

Daryl guide their way to an empty small square table with two seats in the corner at the back. He pulled out the chair for Aleah. Aleah who looked back and forth to Daryl and the chair then smiles shyly. "Aww.. You're sweet. Don't have to, though." She giggled.

"Thanks." Aleah sat down and watched Daryl who also sat and adjusting his seat opposite her. She looked around in the coffee bar. It was full of people. People who was enjoying their breakfast with the noises of their chit chatting, laughing's and the clings of the spoons and fork. A slow music was filling around the coffee bar.. Aleah just realized that the wall was the same like it's outside. She looked at the wall on her left, she noticed a drawing of little cat. Bad drawn one. She scoffed a chuckle.

"What?" Daryl who heard her furrowed his eyebrows and asked with a little smile formed on his lips. He felt happy seeing Aleah who was never stop smiling from the beginning. He liked her smiles.

"Oh, nothing.. Just saw this cat was drawn badly.." She replied with another chuckles while her left index finger motioned to the drawing she talked about and Daryl looked over to it.

"I don't mean to brag, but I can draw more realistic than this person's cat.. Yeah." Aleah told him. Daryl smirked and narrowed his eyes like it was an expression of 'oh yeah?'. Aleah laughed out. But immediately fell silent when she suddenly felt like an idiot talking being too perfect and seems to insulted other peoples' like judging them, which Aleah wasn't proud of.

"What's wrong?.. You okay?" Daryl who realized her mood seemed to changed all of sudden, and frowned.

"Uhm..Nothing." Aleah shook her head and smiled at Daryl. She reached his wrist which was resting on the table and grabbed tightly for a second to assured him she was okay. Daryl felt like there's an electric shock went through his body when Aleah grasped his wrist made his heart stopped beating for a couple of seconds . His breath hitched, stuck at his throat. His head was dizzy for a moment.

"Hi, welcome to Daisy Coffee House. May I take your orders now?" a waitress had approached them with a friendly smile on her face. Ready to take their orders.

"Oh. Uhm.. Daryl you brought me here, what'd you recommend?" Aleah opened the menu book from the end of table, placed vertically next to the wall. She took a glance on inside the menu book. There are lots of options of breakfast menus listed in it but she do not know what to choose. She looked straight to Daryl's face giving him a comical expression. Daryl widen a smile and turned his attention to the waitress.

"We'll have 2 sets of Crock Pot Chicken Caesar sandwiches and 2 sets of Spicy Italian Panini with extra cheese please.. Uhmm drinks I'll have Americano coffee and…" Daryl turned his look back to Aleah, silently asked what she'd like to drink. Aleah seemed to understand Daryl's action, she immediately spoke up.

"Do you have Caramel Macchiato here?.." She awkwardly nervous, grinned at the waitress.

"Yes, we do." She replied. "Okay, then I'll have that. Please, thank you." The waitress soon went off to process their orders.

Daryl can't help from chuckle but he did anyways made Aleah blushed furiously.

"Stop it Daryl!" She exclaimed lowly. She can feel her cheeks heated from embarrassed.

"What? I didn't do anything.." Daryl laughed. He loved to make her nervous.

* * *

About 15 minutes later their breakfast orders arrived. Aleah firstly began to sipped her hot cup of Caramel Macchiato.

"Mhmmm!" She moaned heavenly at the taste of her coffee with her eyes shut closed. "Oh my god.. this place makes the best of my favorite coffee ever! God oh god.." She sounded like she was on orgasm made Daryl's lower origin jumped a little when her soft voices reached into his eardrums.

Daryl eyes locked at Aleah who was enjoying her sandwiches and commenting what her foods tasted like and waved her hands around while she explaining something to him which he eventually didn't hear what she was talking about at all as eyes fell to her lips that was painted with sexy red lipstick. Matches her skin tone. He really wanted to taste that lips on his. Cradle her face. Kiss her passionately. Make out all day and night, stick in his tongue into her mouth to invade her. God knows how much he really wanted to make her his for how long already, he doesn't know.

"… and I believe I lost you somewhere." Daryl was pulled out from his train of thought when he heard Aleah's voice. Once again, he didn't know what gotten into him with all that day.

"Sorry, if I bore you with all my story.." Aleah continued, feeling guilty. "Oh.. nah. I'm the one should be sorry." Said Daryl.

"Was thinking about you.. I mean, you okay? Your face yesterday.." Daryl tried to lighten the mood between them, but didn't know if it was the right question to get rid the negative aura.

"I'm fine. I'm glad that karma hit that jerk right away. Well through you, of course.. Amen!" Aleah laughed with her mouth munching some sandwich. Her laughs was contagious to Daryl. It was the song to his ears. They kept their conversations on going. Awkwardness between them, slowly began to decreased where they talked comfortably for hours until they left the Coffee bar.

* * *

End of Chapter 2


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"I am really stuffed right now! Those sandwiches are so delicious, especially the Italian Panini. You were right about asking for extra cheeses. Can still taste it in my mouth right now. Gosh.." Aleah jokingly tapped her tummy few times made Daryl laughed, walked next to her.

"I'll definitely going there again.. Oh!.." Aleah's sudden gasp made Daryl stopped walking along her and looked at her questioningly, who had widen her beautiful green colored eyes whilst a big grin slowly formed on her lips.

"I should bring Vince when he come back to here next month!" She said excitedly after a moment. Daryl can feel his face shifted to frown when he heard some other man's name slipped from Aleah's lips.

"Vince?.." He asked. Daryl started to chew inside of his bottom lip. Nervously waited her answer, where his heart had a little bit ache of jealousy.

"Yeah. Vince Willson. He's my older brother. The only family that I had left right now.." She slightly grin to him. Daryl felt the burden in his heart relieved, he breathe freely cause he was like holding his breath when Aleah mentioned a name. But noticed her mood darken. Aleah looked down the pavement slipped into her own mind as they walked.

"You okay?" Daryl nudged her elbow made her came back to the reality.

"Uhm.. yeah!" She said. "So, your last name is Willson? That's what the W means?" Daryl remembered the initial W she wrote on his palm yesterday.

"Yeah, Willson. With double L.." she laughed. "What's yours?"

"Dixon.." Daryl replied. "It's D-I-X-O-N. People always spell it wrong. It sucks." He explained.

"Wrong? Really? Do you mean as D-I-C-K-son?" she giggled. "Yeah!" Daryl scoffed.

"I'm sorry.. Didn't mean to laughed. It's a cool name." She laughed but then apologized. Daryl nodded as signed he appreciated her compliments. People in town sometimes made a fuss about the Dixons like it was a curse if they get involve in their business. Said the Dixons only caused troubles whenever they around.

* * *

They arrived at their meet point this morning.

"I need to buy something here first before I go home." Aleah said, pointed her finger to the stationery store.

"Sure.. Do you mind if I follow you inside?" Daryl raised his eyebrows. He was curious what things she always buy in the store which he saw her gone to almost every single day.

"No. Not at all. It's a public store, not women restroom." She joked.

"Yeah.. right." They laughed out loud as they walked in together into the stationery store.

"Good afternoon Annie." Aleah greeted the old lady who was standing behind the cashier who also owned the stationery store.

"Well, good afternoon dear!" The old lady named Annie smile brightly that's contagious. She is the more like an aunt to her. Always been nice to her and sometimes Aleah get discounts on the items she bought from the store as she was the regular customer. Daryl just gave her a slight nod and returned smiles.

He followed Aleah to the last row of the steel shelves and turned to the right. She running her fingers through the tubes of watercolors in a box at the bottom level of the shelf.

"What color you looking for?" Daryl asked.

"Light blue.. where is it. Thought I saw there were many of it yesterday.." She mumbled, not looking up to him, still concentrated on her mission. He then crouched down next to her. Held out his and began to running his fingers to inside the other box of watercolors. Trying to help her to find the color she wanted.

"You must be an artist?" Daryl guessed. Maybe the reason he saw her go to this store almost everyday he thought.

"Artist?" Aleah stopped and turned to him. She chuckled. "Well not really.. I just do paintings. I mean, I do wanna be an artist. But Jeff said it was stupid. That my paintings sucks and won't do any profits as an artist." She sighed.

"He's a jerk, like you said. He do not know how to appreciates things." Daryl grumbled. He still mad with what Jeffery did to her yesterday. He'd do anything he could to protect her from him as Jeffery had said that he'll get to Aleah so there's possibility he might harm her next time they meet.

After few moments Daryl hold up a tube of light blue watercolor and showed to her with a big smile.

"oh my god! It takes forever to find you.." Aleah snatched the color tube from Daryl's palm. "Thank you Daryl." She jokingly made the puppy look face who wanted to be love and blinked her eyes few times to Daryl. Daryl backed up a little, scoffed and later laughed at her goofy attitudes.

"Stop.." He chuckled. He never thought she can be such an open person who like to goof around. Aleah then stood up and walked few steps to her left looking through for paint brush and took one it.

"I'm done." She exclaimed lowly. She cruised happily way to the cashier counter up front. Daryl can't help but grinning and just followed her.

"Hey dear, how you doing? Is everything okay?" Annie the cashier asked while she pushed some buttons on her register machine, input the price of the items Aleah buying.

"Yes, Annie. Everything's fine. Felt better actually." She answered. Daryl was just standing silently next to her.

"That'll be four dollars and ninety five cents dear." She said and put the watercolor tube and paint brush in a plastic bag. Aleah was looking for her wallet in her bag and Daryl slid his hand to his back pocket and pulled out a five dollar note.

"Here.. you can keep the change." Daryl handed the note to Annie.

"Daryl, no.. you already paid for my breakfast." Aleah grabbed his arm tried to pulled away.

"No. It's okay. I wanted to.." He looked at her straight to her eyes. She saw a sincere look in his eyes and finally give in as he insisted. Annie took the dollar note and shook her head, amused with these two couple's behavior.

"Who is this sweet gentleman, Leah?"

"Oh. I'm sorry. Annie this is Daryl. Daryl, Annie." She introduced them to each other.

"And this man is my hero. Who saved me from dying of embarrassment from yesterday's incident."

"how nice to meet you, young man." Annie smirked. Daryl just nodded and smiled and soon lowered his head cause his cheeks must be red by now from blushing too hard when Aleah mentioned he was her hero and told her what exactly happened. He just listened to them talking for few minutes. They started to head out the store.

* * *

*outside stationery store*

"it's 1:20pm..you wanna go to my apartment and hang out? Or unless you have other plans in the afternoon. It's okay." Aleah knew this is a bad move to ask and invite a man that she barely know to her place.

"You sure? I mean, I don't have any plans for today at all." Said Daryl feeling hopeful that he can spend more times with her today.

"Yeah. Uhmm.. Maybe you can help me pick colors for my paintings.." she smiled.

"Sure.. why not. Besides I'd love to see all of your paintings."

"I'll drive us there. To your apartment." He suggested.

"okay, thanks but it wasn't far away from here though." Said Aleah followed Daryl walking to his light blue Ford truck.

"Sorry, it's an old junk. Not fancy as you think." He opened the door to passenger side for Aleah.

"Don't say that. It's nice anyway. Vintage. I liked it!" She giggled as she moved herself into the truck. Daryl carefully shut the door for her and jogged to the drivers side and got inside.

"By the way.. How do you know I always went to Annie's store?" Aleah asked in a slightly high-pitch voice at the same time turned her body faced to Daryl all of sudden made Daryl startled and it was written all over his face.

"Oh that.. I'm working at the tools store just next to Annie's store. So, I could see you walking pass by back and forth almost everyday. But hey.. I promise you, I am not some kind of creep or a stalker." He explained so that she will not think him as a person who had bad intentions to her.

"Ohhh.. now it make sense." She slightly nodded and stared at him. They made eye contact, saying nothing. They both can feel their own heart beating faster and sounded louder in their eardrums and they breathed heavily. All around them were dreamy, the sounds of cars and people outside his truck echoed and slowed. Daryl felt the funny fluff feeling in his stomach once more that he think he's gonna threw up butterflies out of his mouth.

"Okay, let's go!" Aleah finally spoke up to break heated strange feeling moment.

"Yeah. Phew.. okay." Daryl breathed out heavy and turn on the truck. He smiled at her.

"alright, show me the way." Daryl asked her for direction to her apartment. He looked out for cars through his side mirror while his finger working on buttons on his radio turned on some music. A song called 'If All Else Fails' by Matchbook Romance filled up the truck as he drove off from the parking lot to go at her place.

* * *

 **Hello there! And again sorry for the late update. My laptop died on me. Hmm.. I need to send it for maintenance. Again. *sigh* but, thank goodness I have my tab so I can continue writing *yeay* writer's block really got me ugh.**

 **Anyways, I see new followers and.. reviewers!**

 **Thank you BreenaBelle-xoxo and theseventhstar for your reviews! I know.. my spellings and grammars are not that good, but I hope you do understands my fanfiction storyline :)**

 **And Addams, I know right! Gotta thank to his photographer for the shot :P**


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Wow, this chapter is unexpectedly longer than previous chapters. Hehe. Okay, chapter 4 will uncover a bit of Aleah Willson, where the last two chapters if you noticed, she went off to her own trains of thought. What was really playing in her mind?..

Dear my lovely followers, I hope you'll enjoy this one! xo, LeneReedus.

Chapter 4

 _ **So close your eyes and sleep to dream.** **  
** **I'm by your side.** **  
** **No words to speak.** **  
** **We'll set our course and make it through.** **  
** **No matter how far I go** **  
** **No matter how much this hurts** **  
** **I wanted you to know,** **  
** **My heart remains with you.**_

"I'm on the 10th floor." Said Aleah with a wide smile on her face. There were two elevators. They were standing in front of second one, waiting for the door to open.

"10th floor? How many floors this building has anyway?" Daryl asked in amused. He was astonished from the first he saw and stepped his feet into the building. This building was one of the most expensive apartments in the town.

' _Aleah must be come from a rich high-class family,'_ he thought. Hope to be friend or MORE than friend slowly fell to pieces.

' _What if her family were as same as the others rich peoples out there? What will they say about me if they finds out I'm a Dixon?'_ His good mood began to drift away.

"Yep, 10th floor and that's the very top level.. but wait- not really, the rooftop is the very top." She replied.

Daryl just nodded, with O shaped mouthing.

"Why? Are you afraid of heights, Daryl?" Aleah spoke again. She noticed Daryl's nervous expression. Daryl didn't answer her. His mind was racing that he just looked at her, chewed his corner bottom lip which made Aleah thought her assumption was correct.

The door of the elevator then opened wide. Some people walked out from it. Aleah and Daryl then stepped in the big box. The elevator's door then closed and Aleah pressed a button with number 10 on it. She took a glance to Daryl. He was dreamy stared at the buttons of the elevator's wall in front of him like they were the most interesting things he ever saw. He was still chewing his bottom lip.

' _How can someone, a man who is strong and handsome like him afraid of heights?'_ She thought and smirked.

"Don't worry, Daryl. This building isn't gonna break down. Plus it's earthquake proof!" Aleah suddenly took his left hand that was resting on his side. She intertwined their fingers together and gripped tight hoping she could calm him down a bit. She laughed.

Daryl was surprised that he flinched a little when she touched and hold his hand. He looked down their hands, locked together. His head then turned up to her. She was smiling, observing the monitor above the elevator's door that changed in every second showed the building floor level. He tighten gently her grips.

"How can you be so sure this building is not gonna break?" Daryl asked in amused, pretended like he is really afraid of heights. His heart felt gonna come out all the way through his throats from beating happily fast, forgot his nervousness a while that he scoffed and giggled.

"I can assure you this building is safe. Besides, my father designed this building. So I know.." She smirked.

' _His father? Who is this girl, really? Is she the daughter of mayor of the town that I don't know about or something?'_ Daryl felt like a thunderbolt stroked him that he thought he's gonna die that instant, mind blown with her statement.

'W _hat if her parents were home right now? And doesn't like me at all? I think they'll kicked me out when they first saw me. No, I might be thrown right from the rooftop!'_ His thoughts wandered wildly, afraid his chance and hopes to be with Aleah will not work.

 _Ding!_ The elevator's door slide open. They reached to the 10th floor.

"Come on.." Aleah pulled his hand. Still holding hands. Daryl exhaled sharply and they stepped out the big box to the hallway.

* * *

They stood in front of her apartment door. Aleah let go of Daryl's hand and began to look for the her keys in her sling bag. When she found it, she unlocked the door and invited Daryl in. He looked around the apartment. It was big and wide. But silent?

' _Where's her family? Gone out maybe.. or.. she lives alone?'_ He started to play riddles with his mind again.

"You live alone here?" He finally spit out. He felt dizzy with all of his own questions inside his head.

"Yes, I'm alone.. and it's boring.. I need a roommate." She laughed. She never had anyone to stay in with her. Even Jeffery. She did asked him once to moved in with her but he refused. Said her place is far away from his workplace. But later she found out he actually had another reason.

"Uhm.. you want some drinks?" She offered.

"Yeah, sure. Thanks." Daryl smiled. He felt relieved. He didn't have to face her family. Yet. He wasn't ready to be in a situation where they'll be apart sooner without even knowing each other more. He finally calmed down, in his heart prayed to the god that all the things he thought about her family turned out rather good.

He followed Aleah to the open style kitchen. Headed to the fridge on the side. She opened the fridge's door and humming the tunes of _'If All Else Fails'_ she heard from Daryl's truck. He hand out a bottle of orange juice.

"Orange juice, that okay?" She hold up the bottle to show Daryl.

"Sorry, I haven't fill up my fridge yet. Haven't done shopping this week." She shrugged.

" Yep, okay.. As long as it is chilled is enough for me." Daryl smirked and took the bottle from her. Aleah grabbed another bottle for her too. The heat outdoor was really intimidating hot.

Daryl opened his bottle, his eyes surveyed around the apartment's interiors. There were large casement windows as wall slightly covered with shiny black curtains. He could see another low buildings of the town from where he stood through the glass windows. Concrete walls were all white except one part of the wall which is the open living room was painted with black stripes horizontally. A big screen TV was on the wall with a cabinet below it and speakers on each end. Stacked of blu-rays can be seen inside through the glass cabinet. A set of black lawson-style sofas with some square pillows. A table in the middle of the area with a vase of blue roses on the top of it, popped out the color. Big white fluffy rug was on the living room's floor. There are also a bookshelf full of books at the corner of the big window wall and two lounge chairs near it.

"Black must be your favorite color, eh?" He guessed after gulped down some of his orange juice. It's refreshing.

"Well, kind of. Yeah.. How'd you know?" She shot him a surprised look with her eyebrows slightly raised.

"I noticed most of this interior is black and white. It's nicely done though. The arrangements are beautiful." Daryl complimented.

"Thank you! Black is my happy color.." Aleah laughed. Never crossed her mind someone could actually liked her apartment's interior décor and arrangement.

"so, where are your paintings? Didn't see them up on the walls." Daryl wondered looked at her skeptically.

"Oh. Sorry, they're in here. I didn't put it up caused Jeff said they'll make his eyes sore if they're on every walls.." She sighed and gestured Daryl to follow her.

Daryl scoffed in disbelief what his ears had heard. Sick with the man who put her down named Jeffery.

* * *

Aleah lead him to her bedroom through the hallway next to the kitchen. There was a bathroom straight ahead, she then turned into the left door Daryl followed in tow. He curiously peeked in and stepped inside the room.

"All- of this- are your paintings?" He waved around his hands motioned to all the paintings that were set down on the room floor vertically. Some paintings were on the chairs. Some were on the dresser. Daryl was amazed. There's lots of them, he can't think a number.

"Yep.. They are." Aleah replied with a little smile on her lips. Daryl nodded his head slightly. She wondered whether Daryl's reactions to all of her paintings were good or bad. She could not tell. She then walked by his side, who still eyeing the paintings in small distance.

"Can I take a closer look to some of them?" Daryl asked.

"Sure, go ahead. But I'm warning you, they might be eye-soring to you.. " She laughed.

"Stop.." Daryl looked her, then laughed too. He began to lift up a painting from one chair.

A painting of a behind of a mermaid, looked like it was sitting on a surface of shallow waters. Long haired that were brought to its left shoulder with two small clams as hair pins. The mermaid looked like it was looking down, sad. Daryl sensed dark feelings was in this painting. He put the painting back down to it's place and took another painting from behind the chair. He observed every detail off the painting. A woman's back, wearing black dress standing at one end of a building hugging herself.

"Hmph.." He expressed. Biting inside of his corner bottom lips. Daryl continued to look through to another painting and then another and another next. Screening their details.

' _Why most of her paintings looked so- sad..?"_

Aleah just stood near to her bed and watched him who sometimes shifted his weight on each legs and she saw him nodded slightly not breaking contact to the painting he's holding.

' _Why he looks so cute here?'_ Aleah thought and giggled silently. After a few paintings (didn't managed to look all of them, there's a lot!), Daryl suddenly turned to her full body with wide eyes.

"Yeah.. Your ex -boyfriend are totally blind. I mean, look at these!" He said in excitement.

"All of these paintings are amazing. It's like a masterpiece. Beautifully painted by someone talented and beautiful and that someone is you, Leah.." He continued.

Aleah just shot him a blank expressions and gapped, bewildered by his statement. She thought Daryl was gonna say same things like Jeffery would say. She was speechless. She felt appreciated.

"I'm sorry. Didn't mean to brought up your ex-." Daryl stammered. Apologized. He thought he might had offended her by mentioning her ex into this, when she doesn't respond to him.

"No.. it's okay. Thank you by the way. I'm actually didn't expect you'll say good things about them. I thought they're all just bunch of craps." Aleah blushed.

"Stop saying that. They weren't bad. They're pretty amazing. You really got huge talent here." Daryl convinced her.

"Must've been genetic, huh?"

"I think surely is.. Got it from my late mother.." she said with a short little laugh that sounded sad within. Daryl noticed.

' _late mother?'_ He thought. "Shit. I'm sorry—" He kicked himself. Almost every words he said today seems so wrong every time he opened his mouth.

"Daryl, don't be sorry. You had nothing to do with it. So, it's okay." She forced a smile.

"I once had the happiest moments in my life. My family were the best part of it. Ever since my brother and I were born, I never seen my parent sad.. I think. Never even lay a finger to us if they got angry cause it will last not more than five minutes." She sat down on the corner of her bed. She need this to get off her chest, like she did everyday.

"My mother was a full-time housewife. Loved to spent her free time doing paintings, when Vince and I gone to school and my father gone to work. My father was an engineer in architectures. He designed most of the part of our old house back in the place where we lived." Her eyes are now blurry filled with tears that's going to fall anytime soon.

Daryl didn't know what to do. He never encountered a situation like this. Except with his mother. When she cried out loud beaten terribly with a belt on hard steel buckle by his father who was drunk. He tried to stop him but ended get beaten too as the result, how he earned every scars on his back within several years.

Daryl got blank. Stood still where he was. Hurting seeing Aleah's smiles are now faded. he failed. Failed to keep her smiles last long. At the time he wanted opened his mouth to say something, Aleah spoke again.

"If I did something wrong, they'll never fully blame me. Instead we will sit down and discussed nicely. There were times we would go on vacation or picnics on the Sundays or even just tending our garden of flowers together at the backyard. The blue rose was my mother's favorite. She once painted picture of me and my brother while we're reading on the swing in the garden.." the flashbacks of her past one by one came to her mind. Aching.

"I still had some of her paintings with me.." she pointed to a few stack of boxes in the corner next to her dresser. Daryl looked over to the direction and nodded as his acknowledgement. He looked back at Aleah. Her cheeks had shining trails of tears. Her nose reddened and her eyes were shut closely.

Daryl slowly made his way to her. He sat down on the bed next to her. She was crying softly. Daryl held his arm over her back to her left shoulder. Rub it gently. Awkward but hoped it'll comfort her a little. But, she started to sobbed. Daryl's heart was aching like it was crushed hard just hearing the woman he fell for, hurting and crying. Do you believe in old-fashioned love? Yes, he's been in love with her for a while since from the first sight.

Without hesitation, Daryl pulled her into his arms, hugged her. Aleah just let herself and hugged him back. Her face was on the left side of Daryl's neck continued to sobbed softly tried to washed out all the emotions building inside her.

"Shhhh.. It's okay. Let it out. It's okay to cry. I understands." His hand tucked in between her hairs while the other hand stroking slowly on her behind up and down, rocked their bodies slightly, hoped it can soothe her.

They were in the same pose for the next good 15 minutes, until the room began to fell silent. Only the sounds of her air-conditiner blowing cold breeze was heard. Aleah stopped crying. She suddenly pulled herself back in instant.

"Shit! God. I'm so sorry, Daryl.." she said wiped away the stains of tear on her face with her palms then covered her face. The feeling of embarrassment crept up inside her for crying in front of Daryl.

Daryl shook his head, smiled.

"uhh.. you still want to help me with painting?" She awkwardly asked Daryl looked straight to his beautiful blue eyes.

"Yeah, of course.." he replied.

Aleah stood up and walked to a closet, opened the door, started to looked for something.

Daryl just observed her. He fight the urge to ask her for what happened to her with all that brake down. But then decided just to hold in. He had enough to make Aleah hurt. Something dark must've happened to her in the past. Since in the morning he could felt something seems off with her, when they were in and after the coffee bar, she at times in her own train of thoughts when he asked about a guy named Vince. _The only family I got left.._ Her words ringing in his ears.

' _Oh right… she did mentioned bout her ONLY FAMILY. Daryl, you're an idiot thinking her parents were here.'_ Daryl thought. Then he'll only have to face her brother. He never knew or saw her brother. Hoped this Vince guy not mad for her sister being friends with a Dixon. He still wants to know the rest of her story.

Aleah held out a piece of white canvas about the size of A3. She put it on to the wooden easel. She looked up at Daryl who still sitting on the bed. She furrowed and squinted her eyes, Daryl saw her and stood up instantly. He cursed to himself, said gonna help her instead he just sat here comfortably.

"Stop! You just stay there, sit down.." Aleah speak up realizing Daryl was about to walk to her.

"Huh?" Daryl confused. Stopped his feet immediately.

"Thought you said you want my help..?" he said comically.

"Yes, Daryl. And I changed my mind. I want you to help me by sitting back down on the bed. But face yourself to me, please." Cute big grin shaped on her lips revealed her teeth. Cheeky smile.

"I want to paint your portrait.. if that's okay with you?" she asked.

"Uhm.. sure? But I look like a mess right now.." Daryl hesitated

"No you're not. You're already perfect!" Aleah encouraged him made Daryl blushed. She giggled.

Daryl finally agreed. Seeing her smiled again made him weak on the knees. He sat back down on the lower edge. Aleah eyeing him positioned himself and settled down.

"This okay?" He asked. Felt awkward.

"Yep, you can move around get comfortable and relax. Don't want you to get cramp later." They both burst out in laughter.

"Oh.. just one more thing. I really need this, so I can focus." Aleah walked to the right side of the bed. She squatted down, took a disc on the night stand and put it into the CD player that was on the floor. Then, she switched on. A song was rippling in the cold room. She walked back to the wooden easel and prepared her brushes and color paints.

To be continued..

* * *

A/N2: Don't worry, we will uncover the rest of Aleah Willson's pass' story in the next chapter. Do follow, to get notified for updates of this fiction :)


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